Daiso - What Are Your Best Purchases?

Davo1111 on 23/03/2015 - 02:37
Last edited 27/03/2015 - 19:25

For those out of the loop Daiso is the 100 yen shop. 3600 stores in japan, and now 19 stores in Australia. All [most] products are $2.80.

So i wanted to find out, What have you bought there that they would recommend to others? (or not recommend)

So far the main item i've been really impressed with is these red handled screw drivers for opening up computers. Very sturdy and haven't stripped the heads.

Small silicone tongs have been lasting well.

Things that haven't done so well

  • 3* 3 bladed "mens" razors (just too dull)
  • 5 drill bits 3-3.6mm (were not strong enough)

Anyone else?

General Discussion Daiso

Related Stores

Daiso Australia
Daiso Australia

Comments

  • eatwell365 on 23/03/2015 - 03:48
    +4

    Massage hook, clay pot with lid, space bag

    • inherentchoice on 23/03/2015 - 11:52

      Is the space bag one of those vacuum ones?

      • eatwell365 on 23/03/2015 - 16:16
        +2

        You are correct, esp L sizes.

    • THICKnSLOW on 25/03/2015 - 10:49

      What is a massage hook?

      • eatwell365 on 25/03/2015 - 20:46
        +1

        It is a plastic hook shape object that looks like a question mark "?". with a pointy pressure point tip. You hook it to your shoulder muscle or shoulder blade muscle where you may feel tired or ache. Heaven..

        Great gift for $2.80 to guys who sit in all day in front of computer. Sold out quickly every time in stock.

        • THICKnSLOW on 26/03/2015 - 10:26

          Ok great thanks, might snapper one up.

    • gimme on 26/03/2015 - 17:35

      That 'massage' hook is the most versatile piece of $2 plastic I've come across. It's brilliant!!

  • scrimshaw on 23/03/2015 - 04:21
    +1

    Fabric type storage trays and a little trashcan for my desktop.

  • [Deactivated] on 23/03/2015 - 08:10
    +6

    Daiso is best when you know what you're looking for.
    Bought a banana stand from them, and use that to hold my headphones (I knew they would have them!)
    Best 2.80 I have ever spent.

    The purchases that weren't so useful were the impulse buys, under the premise that "I might need them in the future" and "its so cheap, why not".

    That being said, I recommend people to spend more money on less disposable items, if heavy use of them is expected (e.g. cooking utensils). Otherwise if you know what you're doing, daiso can be great.

    • adhin on 23/03/2015 - 15:08
      +54

      There's always money in the banana stand.

      • A Banana4scale on 27/03/2015 - 15:36
        +3

        I've made a huge mistake

      • [Deactivated] on 27/03/2015 - 16:28
        +1

        This comment made my day. Thank you.

  • djones145 on 23/03/2015 - 08:12
    +1

    glassware
    that are made in japan, like bowls etc

    • [Deactivated] on 23/03/2015 - 17:47
      +1

      I bought a nice single glass and it broke/cracked in my hands while hand washing it. Wasn't using hot water or anything either.

      It was labelled European thin glass or something equally vague. I bought it specifically because it was such a nice simple glass with a thin rim/edge (cos it's so much nicer to drink from that way).

      Was disappointed when it broke. Used it only a handful of times. Still, it was cheap so the gamble was worth it. Kinda.

      Their stoneware etc is nice though.

      • Porco Rosso on 24/03/2015 - 08:49
        +3

        The delicate glassware is made in Poland.

      • Logical on 24/03/2015 - 20:51
        +1

        when washing the glass did you have a diamond ring on? one scratch of the diamond ring around the glass results in the glass popping the top along the scratch line….

        • [Deactivated] on 24/03/2015 - 22:30
          +3

          did you have a diamond ring on?

          I'm too cheap to own diamonds :P

        • Serapis on 24/03/2015 - 22:38
          +1

          @waterlogged turnip:

          Prefer onion rings or burger rings?

        • ankor on 26/03/2015 - 13:10
          +1

          @waterlogged turnip:
          cubic zirconia for the win then!

    • bb_hunter on 25/03/2015 - 18:35

      don't let them fool you just because they put a lot of Japanese on their packaging, most of Daiso products are made in China.

      I bought a bike chain with digit combo lock from Daiso, they retail around $5 from Kmart. http://mydaiso.com.au/index.php/bicycle-lock.html

  • gibspmuh on 23/03/2015 - 08:49
    +2

    I got a paper towel holder from them that's still going strong after several years, been happy with that.

  • undercut on 23/03/2015 - 09:08
    +9

    Caramel Corn!
    Dried Mango!

    • fryandlaurie on 24/03/2015 - 21:48
      +1

      Dried Mango is quite nice actually. Very sweet though.

    • Azn310 on 25/03/2015 - 21:39
      +1

      They are not that dry, very moist inside, sweet and sour drooling

    • HN Professional on 27/03/2015 - 13:19

      Ozbargain Minion reporting for duty sir!
      I love the dried mango thingy too* but you can buy the exact same brand in some Asian/Chinese groceries for up to 15c cheaper.

      *I used to buy heaps from Woolies, grown and air-dried in Australia without sulphites. Unfortunately, they don't stock the brand (Altitude?) anymore - nobody else was buying 'em, I guess :-(

  • ItsMeAgro on 23/03/2015 - 09:54
    +1

    They had wasabi and karashi in tubes when they first opened. Pretty good price for those, I thought. And the little cans of drink are the real deal and kinda fun - yoghurty sodas and mix fruit/veg juices etc.

  • hangdog on 23/03/2015 - 10:05

    The little electric AA toothbrushes are a good size for small children; most others tend to be huge for small hands and mouths, and are more expensive. The design of the handle isn't the best: it goes from on—>off—>unscrew, but I can live with it. The replacement heads are cheap, too, at just $2.80 for 4.

  • tanoshiiki on 23/03/2015 - 10:05
    +7

    Silicone hair catcher for the shower, so the hair doesn't go down and block the drain.

    I prefer to sort of make a mental list since it's so much cheaper in Japan (108Yen, which would be $1.16 atm), but that presumes going to Japan regularly.

    On my list are laundry bags, compression bags, confectionery, stainless steel "soap", etc.

  • BuyoTheCat on 23/03/2015 - 10:37
    +6

    The dried mango are the best.

    • dasher86 on 23/03/2015 - 12:24
      +3

      they're from the philippines lol

      • BuyoTheCat on 23/03/2015 - 12:32
        +29

        I am pretty sure they are from Tastyland

        • turkz1 on 25/03/2015 - 01:32
          +3

          Can confirm am from the philippines and am magically delicious.

        • dasher86 on 25/03/2015 - 16:32

          right Wenji L.

        • ankor on 25/03/2015 - 22:51

          Damn right tastyland!

      • Manh on 25/03/2015 - 16:03

        Philippine dried mangoes I reckon are the best of all of them. And they're around $4-5 not $2.80! I better make a detour to Daiso one day :)

        • alizzan on 26/03/2015 - 07:52
          +1

          7D represent! They gotta be the best brand, followed by Cebu.

    • [Deactivated] on 25/03/2015 - 13:03

      How much are they per packet? And how many grams in the packet?

      Very interested to know. Love dried mango. So. Damn. Much. But can't justify paying the supermarket price of over $5 for a little packet I pretty much inhale blissfully.

      There are some brands available in Asian supermarkets/grocers too but they're still up near the $5 mark.

      Gotta find a bulk source of it. Craving it badly now lol

    • CVonC on 26/03/2015 - 16:14

      You guys should try mangorind - soft chewy dried mango + tamarind. Best.

      • [Deactivated] on 26/03/2015 - 23:44
        +1

        soft chewy dried mango + tamarind

        That sounds like something I'd go crazy for. Must find this stuff.

        Where do you buy your mangirind?

  • inherentchoice on 23/03/2015 - 11:48
    +1

    Sharp kitchen knives. I use them infrequently but find them more than adequate.

  • spychiatrist on 23/03/2015 - 13:41
    +1

    Anything made in Japan - cutlery, bowls, table runners, laundry nets, chocs (Daiso brand)

  • eatwell365 on 23/03/2015 - 19:09
    +3

    Japanese ear wax pick.

    • inherentchoice on 23/03/2015 - 23:04

      Haha I wonder what percentage of people are bold enough to ask "Excuse me do you have an ear wax pick?"

      • cannedhams on 24/03/2015 - 14:51
        +1

        they are called mimikaki (ear scratcher).

  • [Deactivated] on 23/03/2015 - 21:34

    Laundry bags, and I grabbed a cute pair of scissors with some kind of floral pattern on it, on my way out.

    • Davo1111 on 24/03/2015 - 05:10

      are the scissors sharp?

      • [Deactivated] on 24/03/2015 - 20:56
        +2

        Not really.

  • snowybear on 24/03/2015 - 08:14
    +5

    Definitely their loose leaf tea bags. You get 100 for $2.80. No more tea infuser for me!

    And who can resist their dried mango on your way out of there

    • fryandlaurie on 24/03/2015 - 21:50

      Great suggestion! Will try this out since I have some loose leaf Rooibos left over.

    • jackary on 26/03/2015 - 09:53

      They heckled me with a free sample at the counter last week. Needless to say, I left with 3 bags.

      • bajillionaire on 26/03/2015 - 11:43
        +1

        H… hectored… ?

        • jackary on 26/03/2015 - 13:40

          No? I think heckled was the right word for the situation. Am I missing something here or are the OzB vocabulary police out in full force?

        • Pterodactyl on 28/03/2015 - 00:50

          @jackary: "Heckled with a free sample" is this like "Hey mate, this dried mango could queue better than you!"

        • jackary on 28/03/2015 - 11:29
          -1

          @Pterodactyl: Lol. Got Oxford's in our midst, do we? Anyway:

          heck·led - heck·ling - transitive verb:
          to harass and try to disconcert with questions, challenges, or gibes.

          So yes, considering I had a lady yelling over the top of me in broken English "YOU TRY BUY THIS YOU LIKE IT VERY GOOD" then yes, I would say she was heckling me.

          Honestly please bugger off. Surely you haven't done all your odd weekend jobs already?

        • heyrosered on 28/03/2015 - 11:58
          -1

          @jackary: Chill, it wasn't an attack.

        • jackary on 28/03/2015 - 12:52
          -1

          @heyrosered: When the entire basis of my comment was ignored and repeated comments about the semantics of ONE WORD used has ensued, I'd call it an attack. Some would even say I was being heckled. How about we all just move on, yeah?

  • Porco Rosso on 24/03/2015 - 08:50
    +1

    I've got heaps of things from Daiso,but i tend to stick with what's made in Japan!

  • cloudy on 24/03/2015 - 10:41
    -5

    I can't shop at daiso. The prices they charge us compared to many countries is just not on.
    Examples: 5rm in Malaysia, which is about $1.80 ($1 less, or around 40% cheaper.)
    Frm memory, it's 2SG, which is about $2.10( 70cents less)
    And it's 2 Canadian dollar, which is the most comparable of all countries. Again, we pay heaps more.

    • jason101 on 24/03/2015 - 12:39
      +12

      "Heaps More" - You mean $0.80-$1.00 more per item when they have to pay Aussie wages, high rental / insurance Australia's ridiculous port handling charges on containers and GST.

      I still think we are getting a bargain @ $2.80…..Where else do you have the convenience of buying a space bag, tea pot, fake eyelashes and a packet of Japanese chips for $2.80 each in the same shop ?

      • cloudy on 24/03/2015 - 13:46
        -6

        In all my examples I've demonstrated an enormous percentile differenc. Whether iit's socks or stocks if I have to pay 20-40% more, I will feel ripped off. Saying it's just a few cents is poor justification. I've seen petty theifs declare what they do is ok, coz it's just a few dollars.

        As for rent, wages, tariffs or gst, u need to be more educated if u want to argue based on facts. If u think Canada or Singapore isn't comparable to Australia u must be in lala land, or haven't travelled much.

        • centrelink on 25/03/2015 - 10:41
          +3

          You are right! Just last week my wife bought a friggin handbag for over 10k ! I've seen handbags in shops go for less than $100 and she wanted a particular brand which happened to be over 10k

        • fatal on 25/03/2015 - 13:28

          You can compare all you want, but what matters in the end isn't the price you pay in Canada or Singapore - but the price you pay here.

          And in that sense, Daiso is cheap for what you get.

        • crystalstar on 27/03/2015 - 21:23
          +1

          Actually…

          http://fortune.com/2015/01/21/10-highest-rent-shopping-strip…

          Sydney is in there at 9th in the world. Most is Hong Kong / New York and yes their Daiso would be 'cheaper' then ours but they have a high population in a small area. No Canada or Singapore in sight. All the expensive rent places are high metropolitan cities… Australia doesn't even have the population that can compare to the likes of Hong Kong or America. I was in Daiso in Singapore, the line had like 20+ people and they had 4 registers going at a time. The Daiso I've been to in Melboourne always have 1 register and like a line of 0 - 3 people. Even on the weekend. The business just isn't here. Australian rent is high… the people earn a lot so we do buy things but there isn't enough people I reckon to make up for it so they gotta up the price…

    • [Deactivated] on 24/03/2015 - 14:03

      Then where do you shop in australia? and for how much?

      • cloudy on 24/03/2015 - 15:03

        Independent discount variety stores, in footscray. Most things are a dollar or two. Example, got two 30 cm tongs for $2. How many tongs and what price at daiso?

        • asil92 on 25/03/2015 - 08:40
          +3

          I live in Footscray and go to the variety stores alot ! But they're not always cheaper. Daiso is a lot more organised and has better customer service.

    • rover on 26/03/2015 - 15:29

      They also have a spattering of 200yen items for $2.80, those items are a bargain. Happy to pay a premium (compared with overseas 100yen stores, 110yen with tax) for a few items that often better quality than otherlocal "cheapy" stores.

      Oh, I wonder if I can my 10yen back when I leave Japan?

  • diddy50 on 24/03/2015 - 13:34
    +2

    plastic coffee pour over and filter papers

  • FW190 on 24/03/2015 - 13:44

    a metal noodles drainer, the next cheapest one I could find was like $10+ at some Asian grocery store

    got a few full size Katsu don bowls

    couple of nice looking made in Japan plates

    air fresheners are big and cheap (compare to the ones in Woolies/Coles)

    • tanoshiiki on 25/03/2015 - 22:14

      Which air freshener do you recommend? I have bought 2 types and they both did nothing for a whole room. Yes, I could smell the product close by but the scent wouldn't actually fragrance the room.

      • FW190 on 26/03/2015 - 15:23
        +1

        I got those ones with little beads/jelly balls, they are not the best, but 2 or 3 of them together still beats the ones in Woolies, and still cost less :)

        otherwise, the bambo charcoal ones are pretty good too (they are only good for deodorizing though)

  • [Deactivated] on 24/03/2015 - 14:05
    +1

    The largest size metal mixing bowl they sell and a cute owl glass (hand crafted by italian artisans! just kidding it only said made in italy).

    Bought lots of other nonsense but I cant remember the rest so they probably aren't significant.

  • vivasawadee on 24/03/2015 - 14:17
    +2

    The spaghetti cooker gets a lot of usage. 9mins for normal spaghetti or fettuccine and 12 mins for penne . Pro tip- don't use the lid for cooking just for draining.

    • HN Professional on 27/03/2015 - 13:26
      +1

      Cooking food in plastic scares me (even if BPA-free) but thank you for posting the times.

  • uggugg on 24/03/2015 - 15:34
    +4

    4 birthday cards for $2.80. Beats paying $6.95 for one at the newsagents or even $1 for one at the $2 shop.

  • Tihocan on 24/03/2015 - 16:21
    +5

    My son and I like to make card games, so the pack of 200 blank cards are pretty handy.

  • hongas on 24/03/2015 - 17:07

    Back Scratcher.

  • obses2ion on 24/03/2015 - 18:28
    +1

    A sheesha/shisha pen (e-cigarette, e-hookah, whatever floats your boat) from Daiso in San Francisco.

    Cmon, those things retail for at least $10-$15 normally, and Daiso had them in cute colours and flavours — banana split and strawberries and cream, woo!

  • fryandlaurie on 24/03/2015 - 21:52
    +4

    The electric lint remover is pretty good. Using it for 6+ months now and it works reasonably well. Requires 1 or 2 AA batteries I think. Still running on the original ones I put in there.

    edit: looks like this

    edit2: Dad really likes the floor mops they have there too. The handle is good and the refills work for a long time.

    • Serapis on 24/03/2015 - 23:08
      +3

      Careful with softer thinner garments, something similar i got from DX tore a hole in my one of my merino wool shirts =(

  • jellyqueen123 on 24/03/2015 - 21:58
    +2

    Bought a mini electric whisk once. It was absolute rubbish and would jam in anything thicker than water. Their bowls are really good value though, really sturdy!

  • Somni on 24/03/2015 - 21:58

    Make up brush cleaner/soap. It works a treat.

  • Pigey on 24/03/2015 - 22:01
    +1

    I'm in Japan now. Just in the Kutchan (Niseko) store.

    It's the 100 yen store (108 yen including tax) = $1.15 for everything.

    We stocked up on all the stuff we didn't need!

    Actually I bought a lightning cable for 108 yen, let's see if it lasts longer than a few days.

  • PVA on 24/03/2015 - 22:53
    +1

    not the vegetable peeler - it was just junk.

  • SpaceNinja on 24/03/2015 - 23:22
    +2

    usb desk fan, lasted 2 weeks.

  • sal78 on 25/03/2015 - 00:39
    +6

    the stick on splashback. its just clear and you can't tell. we change it every few mths. keeps our splashback nice, clean and new. get it! its sooo popular in asia. best money spent.

  • Windows7forever on 25/03/2015 - 06:39
    +1

    It's remarkable they can standardise the price of all their products. Surely not everything is worth $2.80, some inherently more value than others. I usually don't shop there because it is hard to know if I'm paying too much and the quality is generally pretty junky.

    • [Deactivated] on 25/03/2015 - 13:06

      I wonder if people assume that everything in Daiso is Made In Japan and thus expect things to be of 'Japanese quality'..

      Loads of stuff they sell is still made in China and elsewhere. I check everything before purchasing. There's usually a marked difference in quality between Japanese made homewares etc versus Chinese made stuff there… and knowing how dirt cheap you can buy the same stuff from China online, even $2.80 feels like too much at times lol.

      • scrimshaw on 25/03/2015 - 14:53

        Pays to check Aliexpress and eBay while you're shopping, I find most items can be had for much cheaper imported than from Daiso.

        • Windows7forever on 25/03/2015 - 17:26

          You're paying for the whole Japanese style gimmick because let's face it people love Japanese stuff e.g sushi, toyota cars, electronics. When you delve a little deeper you will realise most of their products are sourced from China and other Asian countries so the brand is not indicative of the quality.

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